how can a social worker help?

Social workers help people overcome challenges and improve their wellbeing in times of stress or difficulty. Redkite is the largest non-government funder of professional oncology social work services in children’s hospitals and specific adolescent and young adult treatment centres in Australia. We also offer phone, email and face-to-face support from our support team, who have many years’ experience working with people facing cancer.

Our social workers can give you and your family with information, advice and counselling, and put you in touch with other support services. They can also help by:

Acting as a bridge between you and your medical team and gathering the information you need to make decisions.

Helping you navigate the healthcare system and making sure you get the right support and care.

Linking you with other support organisations in the community that can provide things like financial aid or group support.

Helping you negotiate loan repayments with your bank or to apply for leave from work or study.

Arranging meetings with your medical team and family to talk about care and treatment.

Helping you prepare for and manage difficult or important conversations with family and friends. Coordinating everything else that may be going on in your life, such as caring for other children or an elderly family member, study commitments, the demands of your job or the challenges of not having one.

Supporting you through any changes in close relationships. You can talk with your social worker about emotional and practical challenges, sexuality and intimacy.

Helping you re-adjust as treatment finishes. Although this is a time to celebrate, it can also be pretty stressful as there’ll be a lot of new decisions and adjustments to be made.

connecting with Redkite’s support services

Your hospital social worker can connect you with Redkite’s support team, who can offer services including: